Businesses Stripe won't approve — and who will
Stripe is built for standard e-commerce. Its published Restricted Businesses list bars or gates many high-risk categories, which is why approvals get reversed once volume grows. Here's exactly what Stripe restricts, and the compliant home for each.
Sourced from Stripe's published Prohibited and Restricted Businesses list, last updated 2026-05-13.
Verify on StripeWhat Stripe restricts — and where it belongs
Each category below is one Stripe bars or gates. All of them are businesses Spectrum ePay underwrites.
Why Stripe declines these businesses
Stripe is a payment aggregator: thousands of merchants share its master accounts with card networks and banking partners. To protect those shared accounts it has to keep higher-risk MCCs off the platform or behind extra due diligence — so a category decision, not a decision about your specific business, is usually what's behind a Stripe decline or account limitation.
Spectrum ePay underwrites this to a dedicated high-risk merchant account — 90%+ approvals, USD payouts to your U.S. bank, and a checkout that feels like Stripe.
Merchant accounts we underwrite
If your business is in one of these categories, the Stripe decision was a category decision — not a decision about your business.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Stripe close or limit my account after approving it?
Stripe often approves at signup and reviews later. When volume grows, risk systems re-check your MCC against the Restricted Businesses list — if the category is restricted or prohibited, the account is limited or closed. A dedicated high-risk merchant account is underwritten to your model up front, so approval is stable instead of reversed.
Is CBD really prohibited on Stripe?
CBD with only negligible THC is a restricted (regulated) category that needs Stripe's approval; CBD above the local THC limit, and cannabis generally, is prohibited. Spectrum ePay underwrites compliant CBD and hemp merchants directly.
Can I get a merchant account for a business Stripe prohibits?
Yes. The categories on Stripe's list are exactly the ones a high-risk specialist underwrites. Spectrum ePay places these to dedicated merchant accounts with 90%+ approvals and USD payouts to your U.S. bank.
Declined by Stripe? Get approved instead.
90%+ approvals, USD payouts to your U.S. bank, and a checkout that feels like Stripe. Same-day integration, no contract, one flat rate.